Psychologists’ Role in Hooking Kids on Tech

Posted by Richard Freed on August 22nd, 2018 in Persuasive design, Persuasive Technology, Smartphones, Tech Addiction

Multiple national news outlets brought attention to the effort Dr. Meghan Owenz and myself are undertaking with leading psychologists and the Children’s Screen Time Action Network to ask that psychologists not be involved in the development of video games and social media products that hook kids. We have presented a letter written by myself and Dr. Meghan Owenz to the American Psychological Association asking that action be taken to protect kids, which has been signed by many renowned authorities. Links to media coverage in the Washington Post, Vox, AP, and NPR (including audible podcast in which I was interviewed) are below:

Will censuring colleagues who work in tech save kids from screen addiction? These psychologists think so, in the Washington Post

Tech companies use “persuasive design” to get us hooked. Psychologists say it’s unethical, on Vox

Advocates condemn psych techniques used to keep kids online, in the AP

Are psychological techniques keeping kids online? And if so, are psychologists to blame, on NPR podcast